Edited version. Enjoy.
Some more important notes: The part with ... indicates that the guy overhears their conversations. :)
Love beyond Magic
Written by LunarChan
Chapter 7
Secret
-SUMIRE SHOUDA-
"I stopped by at Hotaru's place before shopping…" I tried to sound natural. "Her mother said that they're at a friend's house reviewing for college exams…"
"Oh," Gramps looked at ease, but slightly worried. "Who is this friend?"
"Hmm…" I pretended to think for a while. "If I'm not mistaken, Misaki is her name."
"Oh, right." He nodded and vanished.
I continued preparing the food while Luna gave me a quizzical look. If looks could kill – I'd be dead meat.
-LUNA KOIZUMI-
This girl… She knew… My plans were ruined… Time to rethink. Damn.
"Are you okay, Luna-chan?" Anna suddenly waved her hand in front of me.
"Uh, yeah." I nodded. "Just lost in thoughts, I guess."
"Please help us prepare… I'm starving…" Anna pouted.
"Sure."
Sumire… Looked like she was keeping a secret from me…
-TSUBASA ANDO-
"Narumi-sensei said he searched criminals with Hyuuga and Ruka. Search results were almost nine thousand. And there were two hundred among them with blonde and six hundred with black hair…" I sighed.
"Wow. It's quite many…" Misaki commented.
"Yeah…" I agreed.
Hotaru looked depressed.
"Why don't you go to his office and see those criminals' faces… Maybe you can recognize them…"
"Ah, yeah." Hotaru nodded.
I felt bad for them… Mikan's missing was painful… But it's more painful to her… As she was her best friend…
The only thing we can give them is support…
-NATSUME HYUUGA-
"Nobara, do you have any other exits in your house besides the front and the back door?" I asked, though knowing the window is our only option.
Her eyes looked scared, but she nodded. "Go get your things! Fast!"
She ran downstairs. I gathered our bags and left the brunette girl to Ruka's hands.
Nobara went in front of the kitchen wall and opened the small wooden door… There was a shoe rack. She dragged it away.
"Open up your house Sir! This is the police…" They kept knocking on the door.
There was another wall. Could they have a secret passage?
Nobara pressed a stone gently and it opened. I thought only movies got these secret passages. Can't believe they really exist. Nobara handed us a lamp. I led the way holding the lamp. The first thing I saw was blackness and stairs leading underground.
"I'm going to close this… Please be careful and please please please, don't make unnecessary sounds…"
"Thank you," I breathed and she closed the wall.
-NOBARA IBARAGI-
I put back the shoe rack on its place and closed the wooden door.
Oh, God. Please help us work this out…
I tousled my hair and took a deep breath before opening the door. I gave them an 'i-just-woke-up' look. "S-Sorry…" I mumbled and yawned. "I fell asleep…"
They let me see a note that says "warrant of search" and I let them in.
My heart was slightly pounding… They divided and searched everywhere…
"Do you want some drinks?" I offered and went towards the kitchen.
"No, thanks," A guy with reddish-brown hair answered.
I was already heading to the kitchen when he answered. He shadowed me, but kept his distance.
"Wha~" I cried as I slipped. The floor was wet with water from the kitchen sink. I closed my eyes before falling to the floor, but he caught me. "Oh, thanks…"
"No problem." He smiled. His smile was a little smug.
-MIKAN SAKURA-
I hugged Ruka's arm… I'm scared of the dark…
We stayed where we were. We did not bother to go any further as I refuse to go… Who knows what could be waiting for us under Nobara's house? Coffins? Skulls?
I shuddered at the thought.
-RUKA NOGI-
Mikan shivered and forcefully closed her eyes while clinging to me. Like shoving a bad thought away… She looked like a scared cat…
I stared at Natsume and he was looking at us. He put his forefinger on his lips – meaning to stay silent. I think he wanted to overhear what's happening.
-HOTARU IMAI-
"You should be more careful, Hotaru…" Tsubasa-senpai warned me. "You know that you're in danger since Sumire mentioned your name to Mikan's grandpa… That Luna must've been on alert mode now…"
"Yes, I know." I nodded.
"Iinchou," I called and his gaze shifted to mine. "Will you come with me later to Narumi-sensei's office?"
"Ah, sure…" He answered.
-NOBARA IBARAGI-
"Thank you, Ma'am…" The reddish brown-haired guy saluted.
"Yes, welcome." I faked a smile as I watch them walk away.
I closed my front door shut and sighed.
It's over…
I opened the wooden door and set aside the shoe rack. Gently tapped the rock and the wall opened revealing a scared Mikan, an analyzing Natsume and an emotionless Ruka.
"Are you all ok?" I asked.
"Yes, thank you…" Natsume exhaled. "I'm very sorry for the trouble we caused…"
-REDDISH BROWN HAIRED GUY (REO)-
I put on the headphones and listened on the bug that I installed on that little girl and her house… She looked scared… I think she was hiding something…
…
"Don't mention it… You're a family to me, Natsume…"
…
As I thought! They're hiding inside that house… But where? We did search everywhere… I gritted my teeth as I listened to their conversation.
…
"No, really… Thank you... But we have to leave tonight…"
"Eh, can't you stay a little longer?"
"I'm sorry… We've been a bother to you…"
"No, it's really fine…"
"But… you're safety isn't guaranteed with us here…"
"It isn't guaranteed when you leave me behind, either…"
"But…"
…
My ears were pierced with a strange noise. What was that?
I heard someone gasp…
-HOTARU IMAI-
I knocked on Narumi-sensei's office and he opened with a smile on the third knock.
"Hello, Hotaru-chan, Iinchou."
"Hello."
"Hello."
He let us in.
"Sorry for disturbing you so much, Narumi-sensei…" I apologized as I sat in the sofa.
"Nah, it's fine." He smiled and opened his laptop. "Here, take a look at this…"
I instantly stretched and went to his table. He sat in front of the table and he let us take glances at the criminals' pictures…
"Oh, by the way, Narumi-sensei…" Iinchou reminded. "They look like seventeen or eighteen…"
"Oh, let's nail it down a bit…"
-NOBARA IBARAGI-
This is…! I gasped.
"What is it?" Natsume asked.
"Are you hurt?" Mikan-chan went to my side.
"N-No… I'm fine…"
I quickly went to my cabinet and pulled out a paper and a pen… I wrote quickly and put it in front of them. They were silent for a minute…
-REO MOURI-
I continued to listen to their conversation…
"Hey, will you get me a juice?" I asked one of the guys.
"Ah, sure." He murmured and went out of the van.
…
"What is it?"
"Are you hurt?"
"N-No… I'm fine…"
…
Someone walking and rustling of things…
How I wish we installed a camera.
…
"Fine… We'll leave the next day…"
"Really? … But I do really hope you won't leave me alone…"
"I request this of you… I don't want you to be involved with my business… Please go with your parents on Paris…"
"N-No!"
"Please, Nobara… This is the only way you can be safe…"
"I don't want to…"
"I'll pay your tickets…"
"Even if you bought the airplane, I wouldn't…"
"Fine… Go die by yourself."
…
I heard footsteps and more footsteps and more rustling of several things… It's so off not to see them… "Tch."
…
"Natsume…"
"Don't be stubborn…"
"Ok… I'll go to Paris… But… Promise me one thing…"
"What?"
"That you'll still contact me…"
"Fine. Is that all?"
"Yes, and thank you, Natsume-kun…"
"If you must excuse us, we must prepare…"
"Ah, sure… I will, too…"
…
Author's Notes:
My sincere thanks to Crimson-Midnight-Moon who always reviews every chapter. :)
~ LunarChan (Edited as of 09-08-11; 9:29am)